Next Fable Game May Feature a Brand-New Engine

While the majority are pondering about the future of the impending Elder Scrolls 6 following Microsoft's acquisition of Bethesda, there is another fantasy RPG Xbox fans are waiting for. The "Next Fable" seeks to mark the return of Microsoft's pillar RPG, a revival of a franchise that has been synonymous with the Xbox brand since the original Xbox console.

To add further intrigue to a game with very little information about it, a new job listing adds further fuel to fans speculating on what this new Fable might be. Developer Playground Games recently updated the careers page of its website, adding a new position that could mean that the next Fable will be getting an entirely new engine.

On the page, fans noticed that a new position was available for a graduate programmer to join the Fable Rendering team. As part of the description, users online were able to spot some very distinct wording that could mean a lot for Fable. The description noted that part of the job requirement is to work with a "custom engine" which some have interpreted means Fable will run on something entirely new.

One notable reason that a new engine is a possible scenario is due to an Action RPG being a significant departure for developer Playground Games. Playground Games as a developer is well respected due to the companies consistent output of highly regarded racing titles. It has been the sole developer on the ever popular Forza Horizon franchise, with the series being the only output from the studio. With all this in mind, the transition to a new engine doesn't seem all that surprising considering the Forza series has always relied on the ForzaTech engine.

While the wording could easily be interpreted that the engine may be something entirely new, online users have indicated that it may not be as big of a change as some fans expect. Some have responded to the news that "custom" in this case could simply refer to a modified ForzaTech engine. Right now, there is very little to go on regarding the "Next Fable." The announcement of a new Fable was only accompanied by a short teaser trailer that showed off some fairies and frogs. The one thing the teaser was able to convey was that the cartoonish and juvenile charm of the earlier entries of the franchise are set to remain.

A big factor that adds to the mystique of the new Fable is the change in developer handling the next entry in the beloved franchise. Since the closure of developer Lionhead Studios in 2016, the Fable franchise remained in dormancy until the 2020 reveal of Fable. Lionhead served as the only studio to work on Fable titles, developing the original title, along with the game's sequels and spinoffs sans the Fable card game.

For fans of the Fable games, each new entry into the franchise brings a new opportunity to create a story as they see fit. Whether they be the hero or villain, players are always willing to go back to the original Fable trilogy for a laugh and heavy decision from time to time. With the announcement of the new entry into the franchise at a July 2020 Xbox event, the rumor mills have been spinning about what could be included in the next Fable title. While fans have no idea how long the wait will be, there has been no shortage of ideas from fans.